The effectiveness of gross motor interventions in improving motor function in childhood apraxia of speech

ABSTRACT

Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) often present motor co-ordination difficulties accompanying their speech and sound delays. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a paired versus a small group gross motor intervention on selected pre-school children, pre-identified with CAS. Children pre-identified with CAS (N = 20) were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) and the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) during the baseline-, pre- and post-tests. The participants were randomly divided into two groups and completed a 12-week gross motor intervention (two 45-minute sessions per week). There were significant improvements in the total motor proficiency of the MABC-2 as well as overall gross motor quotient (GMQ) of the TGMD-2 in both groups post-intervention. This study highlights the need for further research in gross motor interventions to improve the quality of movement of children, pre-identified with CAS.

KEYWORDS:

• Motor-coordination
• pre-school children
• TGMD-2
• MABC-2

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Research Foundation [grant number SFH160726182107].

Notes on contributors

Heike Nolte

Heike Nolte is a registered Kinderkineticist and owner of HN Kinderkinetics. She obtained her BSc Sport Science degree, Honours degree in Kinderkinetics and MSc degree in Kinderkinetics at Stellenbosch University. Her research interest is in the gross motor abilities and development of all children.

Regan Solomons

Regan Solomons, Assoc. Professor is a paediatric neurologist at Tygerberg Hospital and the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SU. He obtained his MBChB from UCT in 1998, a Diploma in Child Health in 2002, an MMed in Paediatrics from Stellenbosch University in 2006 and the Certificate in Paediatric Neurology in 2009. He obtained a joint PhD on the early diagnosis of TBM in children at Vrije University Amsterdam & Stellenbosch University in 2015. He is an executive member of the Paediatric and Neurodevelopmental Association of South Africa. His research interests include CNS infectious disease, especially childhood tuberculous meningitis, and preventable neurological diseases affecting children in resource-poor countries. He has numerous national and international collaborations and is a member of the International TB meningitis consortium. He has >50 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 13.

Priscilla Springer

Dr Priscilla Springer is a developmental paediatrician in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University. She heads the clinical neuro-developmental service for Tygerberg Hospital, which serves as the tertiary referral unit for the Eastern Cape Metro and is involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate training. Her research has focused on long-term neuro-developmental outcome following childhood tuberculous meningitis, HIV-related neurodevelopmental problems, early biomarkers of autism spectrum disorder and use of child development assessment tools in low-resourced healthcare facilities.

Martin Kidd

Prof Martin Kidd is the Director of the Centre for Statistical Consultation at Stellenbosch University. He has statistical consultation experience across a wide spectrum of disciplines and is a member of the South African Statistical Association. He has co-authored and published a total of 145 peer-reviewed papers on various research topics.

Eileen Africa

Dr Eileen Africa received her PhD in Sport Science in 2006 from Stellenbosch University. She started her research journey in the field of gross motor skills development in 2004 and continued in the field of adolescent health. In 2007, she re-directed her focus to early childhood development and gross motor skills and became increasingly interested in and fascinated with children with gross motor delays. She heads the Kinderkinetics honours programme at Stellenbosch University and serves on the South African Professional Institute for Kinderkinetics (SAPIK). In addition, she is a member of the International motor development research consortium.